City’s
Sewage
Major drains originating from the
upper reaches of the city are discharging the drainage water at different
locations into the Port area before they finally discharge into the sea. These
reaches of drains in the Port area are being maintained regularly by Visakhapatnam
Port to ensure the free flow of water and to keep the clean environment of
harbor waters. One 10 MLD sewage treatment plant is in operation to treat the
sewage and sullage entering into port waters from the city. An annual
expenditure of about 70.00 Lakhs is being incurred for maintenance of drains,
geddas, and culverts, etc. The Municipality and Port have implemented certain
long-term measures for flood/inundation control.
Sports
and Cultural Complex
In line with the policies of the
Government of India for the upliftment of Sports & Cultural developments
and keeping in view the interest of the city public at large, a large Sports
complex with various facilities for Sports & Cultural activities was
developed by the Port in the early 1990s at a cost about ` 20.00 Crores. This
Sports & Cultural Complex was completed in VPA’s own land of about 45
acres. The complex is provided with an Outdoor Stadium of 10,000 spectators
capacity and an Indoor Stadium of 3000 spectators capacity, an auditorium of 1400
audience capacity for theatrical performances, and an Open Air Theatre with
3500 audience capacity including ancillary facilities. A Volleyball Academy,
open courts for volleyball, basketball, etc., are also developed in open-air
places. Training in batches to 60 people annually is being given by Sports
Authority of India in Boxing, Volleyball, and Basketball games and a hostel
facility is available for the trainers in the Sports Complex.
Connectivity
Road
A Road running within the Portland
was commonly being used historically over a long period by the Port Cargo
Traffic and the City public between Port area up to N.H.-5. Due to the enormous
increase in the traffic and due to the number of roads, rail, and river
crossings, congestion of traffic has increased causing serious concern on
safety, time, and inconvenience by the public and Port cargo traffic. Realizing
the need to ease congestion of the traffic and to provide alternative route
including improving the travel time, a Port Connectivity Road from Visakhapatnam
Port to NH-5 with a total length of 12.5 KM comprising of 4.9 KM of Flyovers
and Ramps at a total project cost of ` 114.00 Crores was developed and
commissioned as a Joint Venture Project with National Highways Authority of
India, wherein the contribution of the Port was ` 30.00 Crores. To benefit the
common public, the two-wheelers and three-wheelers are permitted to use this
facility free of toll fees. This Port Connectivity Road is serving the public,
industries, defense, and many others enabling an unhindered smooth flow by
relieving congestion on the other road and reducing the travel distance by
about 6 KM saving them time and fuel, thus also helping the environment.
Measures adopted in tandem with Municipality
The entire Port area is being
maintained by the Port itself duly taking care of these civic amenities. As
such the Municipal Corporation in a true sense is not spending any amount out
of the Property Tax collected from Visakhapatnam Port Authority for the aforesaid
purpose. As per the Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Act 1979, an amount of
about ` 20 crores per annum is required to be paid by VPA towards Property Tax
to the Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. Upon request made by the Port, the
A.P. State Government issued an order that “51% of the taxes collected
by the Visakhapatnam Municipality from the Visakhapatnam Port Authority be spent on
works which will benefit the Port Authority area”. Accordingly, the
following developmental and important schemes useful for the city and common
public in the vicinity of the Port are taken up with mutual consent by both
Visakhapatnam Port Authority and Municipal Corporation:
·
Construction and maintenance of the
roads commonly used by both the city public and the Port traffic at the
interface of the city.
·
Maintenance of drains
discharging city drainage water into Port area and street lighting along these
roads and flyovers.
·
Improvement of hospitals
serving the poor people.
· Development and improvement of school buildings, colleges, library, museum, etc.,